Gas evacuating device



April .15, 1947.

J. B. BRANDT, JR

GAS EVACUATING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1945 ATTOE/VEYZS Patented Apr. 15,1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS EVACUATIN G DEVICE John B. Brandt,Jr., Rochester, N. Y. Application March 1, 1945, Serial No. 580,468

' 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for evacuating gas from a containerhaving a neck and a hermetically sealed tip or stem in said neck whichis adapted to be broken by the falling of a weight, such as a roundball, preparatory to withdrawing the gas therefrom and transferring thesame into tubes or elsewhere for use.

Gases which must be used in their pure state for some specific purposeare usually stored in containers of this character and must betransferred from the same as free as possible from oxygen to the placewhere they are to be used in order to get the maximum benefit therefromand at the least cost. Gases of this character include neon, argon,krypton, xenon and the like which are used for illumination, chemical,electrical and other purposes.

Heretofore it has been customary to store special gases of thischaracter in a glass container or flask .comprising a spherical body, atubular neck and ahollow glass tip or stem arranged in this neck. Thistip was left open during the operation of filling the flask with thegas, which had previously been manufactured, so as to permit this gas topass through the neck of the flask and the tip into the body and afterthe desired quantity had been introduced into the flask the tip wasclosed by fusion so as to hermetically seal the gas in the flask.

Preparatory to withdrawing the gas from such containers and deliveringthe same to the place where it was to be used, it has been the practiceto employ an evacuating valve the members of which were made wholly ofglass or similar material so that it would not be affected by the gas,which valve comprised a casing having'an inlet and an outlet adapted tobe welded respectively to the glass neck of the container or flask andto a discharge pipe of glass or similar material which was connectedwith a vacuum pump and other apparatus for the purpose of producing avacuum, and a stopper or closure member which controlled the flow of gasfrom the storage container to the receptacle intended to receive thegas.

. Preparatory to connecting this control valve with the neck of thestorage flask and the pipe leading to the place of consumption, it wascustomary to place within the neck of the storage flask, a steel ball orsimilar weight which could be manipulated from the outside of the flaskso that it would drop onto the tip and break off the end of the same forreleasing the gas stored within the flask. Before, however, breaking offthis tip, the evacuating valve was opened a sumcient length of time toenable the exhausting device to create a vacuum in the spaces betweenthe tip of the flask and the place of use and re move, as much aspossible, the oxygen or other elementsin these spaces which wouldinjuriously afiect the gas stored in the flask. After producing a vacuumin the line or conduit between the tip of the flask and the exhaustingpump, the evacuating valve was opened, then the ball weight waspermitted to drop onto the tip in the neck of the flask so as to breakoff this tip and release the gas, and then the evacuating valve wasopened to permit this gas to flow from the flask .into the receptaclesdesigned to receive it.

In the evacuating valves-heretofore employed for this purpose, the ballutilized for breaking the outlet tip of the storage flask Was usuallyfree to move about in the neck of the flask and this at times resultedin accidentally dropping the ball prematurely onto this tip andfracturing the same, thereby releasing the gas before the proper timeand this not only resulted in a Waste of expensive gases but'also causedan interruption in the manufacturing operation.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide an evacuatingvalve which not only enables the discharge of gas from the storagecontainer to be controlled but also to control the operation of the tipbreaking ball or weight so that the latter cannot perform its functionaccidentally but is retained in a captive position within the valve andcan only be released intentionally so that it performs the operation ofbreaking the outlet tip of the storage container when this is definitelydesired by the operator.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve device for thispurpose which is very simple and inexpensive in construction, which isreliable in its operation and is not liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section showing this invention embodied in anevacuating valve which is coupled with a gas container and a dischargeconduit and shows the parts in the position which they occupypreparatory to breaking the tip in the outlet of the container andconnecting the same with the discharge conduit.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in aposition in which the stopper or movable closure member of the valve hasbeen shifted into a position in which it has released the ball weightand permitted the same to droponto and break the outlet tip o of thestorage flask to permit gas to flow from the latter up to the stopper ofthe valve.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary vertical sections taken on thecorrespondingly numbered lines in F1 1.

iig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing thestopper of the valve device moved into a position in which it is open topermit the gas to. flow through the same from the storage place to theplace where it is to be used. In the following description similarreference characters indicate like parts in the several figures of thedrawings:

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral it represents the body of the containerwhich is-made of globular form and provided on its upper side with avertical tubular neck or outlet H through which the container is filledwith gas and also discharged therefrom, Both the body and the neck ofthe container are made of glass or similar material. 7

Within. the neck sealing means are provided through which. the gaspasses upon filling the container but which are subsequently closed byfusion so as to hermetically seal the gas within the container. Themeans for tltds purpose which are shown in the. drawings are similar tothose commonly employed for this purpose and comprise a. partition [2.fusedin the neck and a tubular tip or stem l3 projecting upwardly fromthis partitionand opening at its lower end into the. container it whileits upper. end is adapted to be hermetically sealed by fusing a cap IAthereon. The upper part of. this tip is turned sothat it; stands atright angles to the lower vertical part of this tip for the purpose ofenabling the same to be broken by means of a weight. In which is'adapted'to be dropped thereon and thus release the gas in thecontainer. l he partition l2 and thetipl3 arealsomadeof glassor similarmatQTia'I';

While thecontainer is beingfilledwith gas, the upper end of the neck isopen and only connected with the'filling mechanism and the upper end ofthe tip is also open so as to permit the u Theweightfor breaking off theupper end of the tip preferably consists of a round ball of steelorother heavy material and'this is dropped through the upper end of theneck so as to hit the tip and break the same off from the lower partthereof, as shown in Fig. 2, whenever it is desired to release the gasfrom the container.

' Preparatory to breakingoffthe tip, the ordinary oxygen laden air inthe neck of the flask above/the tipand in any spaces communicatingtherewith is first drawn off by a suction device, such as a vacuum pump,in order that these spaces are as free from oxygen as possible and thusenable-the special gas which is drawn from thecontainer to be deliveredto the place where it is to beused in the maximum state of purity.The-apparatus for producing a vacuum'inthe gaspassages, as abovedescribed, may be of any suitable and well known construction and thedrawings .thereforeonly show adischarge pipe or tube 16. which is madeof glass or the like and u'tiliZedffor delivering the gas to the desiredplace.

Between the upper end of the neck of the container Hi and the'dischargevor delivery pipe IS an evacuating valvedevice isarranged which controlsthe flow of gas from this neck to the ex- 4 hausting mechanism and thereceptacles which are to be filled therewith which evacuating device orvalve embodies the present invention and is organized to hold the ballWeight IS in a captive or inoperative position when not required butwill release the same and permit it to break off the sealed end of thetip or stem 13 when this is required. Although this improvement may bevaried in its detailed construction, that form of the same shown in thedrawings, as an example of one which is satisfactory, is constructed asfollows:

The numeral i! represents the casing or housing of the evacuating valvewhich is preferably constructed in the form of a tubular barrel and hasits bore l3 tapering from a relatively large diameter at its front endto a smaller diameter at its rear end. This barrel shaped casing is openat its front end but closed at its rear end by means of a transversehead 19, and on its diametrically opposite sides the same is providedwith a lower port 26 which is surrounded by a nipple 2i and an upperport 22' which is surrounded by a nipple 2s. The barrel 11 together withits rear head l9 and upper and lower nipples 23', 24 are preferably madeintegrall of glass or similar material. When this valve device is inuse, the lower end of the lower nipple 2| is connected by a fused joint24 to the upper endof the flaskneck l l and the upper-end of the uppernipple is connected by a fused joint 25 to the adjacent end of the gasdischarge pipe 16, as shown in Fig. 1

Within the bore of" the valve casing or barrel is arranged a stopper orclosure member which is movable into different positions for the purposeof connecting the ports and 22'on' the bottom and top sides of thecasing for opening the valve, and also disconnectingsaid ports forclosing the valve and this stopper is also provided with means wherebythe ball weight 55 may be held captive or in an inoperative position topermit the oxygen laden an. to be withdrawn from the passages above thetip ltpreparatory to opening the latter and thereafter releasing thisballweight so that the same drops and breaks off the endof this tip andthereby releases the gas in the container H9- and permits the same toflow through the valve device andthe discharge pipe 16 to itsdestination, In the preferred construction of this stopper the same hastheform of a circular plug and i provided; with a conical periphery 21which taper from its front endtoward its rear end and'isadapted torotate in engagement with the bore Hiofthe valve casing with a, tightfit; At its front endthisconical valve plug is provided'with a handle orfinger piece 28:.whereby thesarne maybe turned manually and; its rearend terminates short of the rearhead IQ; of the valve casingso as toform a, connecting space or chamber 29' between the rear end of thisplug and said head;

On its diametrically opposite sides, the periphery of this valve plug isprovided with two longitudinal groovesor passages 38, 3|, each of whichterminates at the rear end of this plu and opens into the connectingchamber 291 while, its front end terminates, in linewiththe ports 20, 22and is adapted to communicate, with either one of theseports uponrotating the valve plugin the valve barrel by means of itshandle 23.

Between the front ends of the gas passages,-.3il, 3i and transversely inlinewith the gas portszll, 22, the valve plugis. provided on one.side;ofits periphery with a pocket 32 which is of sufficient depth to receivethe ball weight 15 so that upon rotating this plug in a position inwhich this pocket faces the bore of the barrel, this ball will beretained in this pocket and be incapable of. escaping therefrom, butwhen the valve plug is turned so that the pocket 32 registers with thelower port 2!], then said ball will be released and free to drop fromsaid pocket through the port 26, the nipple 2i and the neck ll onto theupper end of the hermetically sealed tip I3 and fracture the same so asto release the gas from the container.

The operation of using this evacuating valve for the purpose of firstwithdrawing oxygen laden air from the conduits leading to the spaceswhich are to be filled with special or oxygen free gas in the containeriii and subsequently breaking the outlet tip of the container so as topermit the special gas in the container to flow to the places for whichthey ar designated, is as follows:

Exhaustion of the air from the neck H of the gas container and thepassages communicating therewith for creating a vacuum therein andreducing the presence of oxygen to a minimum is effected after the lowerand upper nipples 2i and 23 of the valve case have been connected byfusion or welding with the neck ii of the container and the dischargepipe in and while the valve plug 25 is open but before the sealed tip I3is unbroken.

The ball shaped tip breaker is may be inserted into the pocket 32 of thevalve plug through the upper nipple 23 while the plug is within thevalve case or this ball can be placed in this pocket while this plug iswithdrawn from the valve casing and thereafter the plug may be insortedin the casing together with the ball in the pocket While the latter isout of register with the lower port 2|! so that the bal1 cannot dropthrough the latter.

After the ball weight has been inserted in the pocket of the plug thelatter is rotated one quarter turn in the casing so that the front endsof the passages 3i), 3i register with the ports 21!, 22, as shown inFig. 5, whereby the valve is opened and the neck of the gas container isconnected with the exhausting device. Upon now operating the exhaustingdevice a vacuum is produced in the gas conduits or passages above thebreakable tip is and the presence of oxygen is virtually eliminated inthese spaces.

When the valve plug is in this position the air passes from the neck Hupwardly through the lower port 29, thence rearwardly through thepassage in the plug, thence upwardly through the chamber 29 in thecasing, thence forwardly through the passage 3| in the plug and thenceupwardly through the upper port 22 in the casing to the discharge pipel6 which leads to the suction device.

After the gas conduit has been thus evacuated, the valve plug is rotatedanother quarter turn in the same direction so as to bring the pocket 32to the underside of the same and in register with the lower port 20, asshown in Fig. 2, in which position of the plug the ball drops by ravityout of this pocket and through the lower port 20 onto the sealed tip 59,whereby the latter is broken oif and the gas in the container isreleased and permitted to escape to the valve but cannot pass the samebecause it is still closed.

Whenever it is desired to use the gas of the container, the valve isopened by rotating the plug a quarter turn in either direction so as tobring the front ends of its passages 36, 3| respectively into registerwith the ports 20, 22, thus placing the latter in communication witheach other, as shown in Fig. 5, and permitting delivery of the specialgas from the container III to the place desired.

When the desired amount of special gas .has been withdrawn from thecontainer the .valve plug may be again turned into its closed position,thereby holding the unused portion of the special gas in storage in thecontainer until required for another operation.

When all the special gas has been withdrawn from the container theevacuating valve is removed by unfusing the same from the container neckII and the delivery pipe l6 and used in connection with anothercontainer holding a charge of the desired gas.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for evacuating gas from a container having a neck and ahermetically sealed tip in said neck which is adapted to be broken,comprising a weight adapted to drop on said tip and break the same, avalve casing having a lower port adapted to be connected with said neckand an upper port adapted to be connected with a discharge, a stoppermovable in said casing including means which are adapted to connect saidports when said stopper is moved into one'position and to disconnectsaid ports upon moving said stopper into another position, and saidstopper being also provided with a pocket which receives said weight andis out of register with said lower port when the stopper is in oneposition and which is adapted to register with said lower port when thestopper is in another position and thereby permits said weight to escapefrom said pocket and break said tip and release the gas in saidcontainer.

2. A device for evacuating gas from a container having a neck and ahermetically sealed tip in the neck which is adapted to be broken,comprising a weight adapted to drop on said tip and break the same, avalve casing having inlet and outlet ports on different sides thereofand adapted to be connected respectively with said neck and with adischarge pipe, and a stopper movable in said casing and having passageson its opposite sides so that upon moving said stopper into one positionsaid passage registers with said ports and the valve is open while uponmoving said stopper into another position said passages are out ofregister with said ports and the valve will be closed, and said stopperhaving a pocket which is adapted to receive said weight and retain thesame within the casing in one position of the stopper and .to releasesaid weight and permit it to drop and break the tip in said neck uponmoving the stopper into another position.

3. A device for evacuating gas from a container having a neck and ahermetically sealed tip in the neck which is adapted to be broken,comprising a weight adapted to drop on said tip and break the same, avalve casing having a round seat and inlet and outlet ports on oppositesides of said seat which are adapted to be connected respectively withsaid neck and with a discharge pipe, and a round stopper rotatable in enagement with the seat of said casing and having passages on its oppositesides and adapted in one position of the stopper to connect said portsand open the valve and in another position to disconnect said ports andclose the valve, and said stopper being also provided between saidpassages with a pocket which is adapted to receive said weight and inone position of the stopper to retain said weight within the casing andin another position of the stopper to permit said weight to drop intosaid neck and vonto said tip for breaking the latter.

4. A device for evacuatinggasfrom a container having a neck and ahermetically sealed tip in the neck which is adapted to be broken,comprising a weight adapted to drop on said tip and break the same, atubular casing which is open at its front end and closed at its rear endand provided with a rearwardly tapering conical seat and inlet andoutlet ports on opposite sides of its seat which are adapted to beconnected respectively with said neck and with a discharge pipe, and arear-wardly tapering stopper rotatable in engagement with the seat ofsaid casing and having passages on opposite sides of its periphery whichare adapted upon turning said stopper into one position to be inregister respectively with said inlet and outlet ports and open thevalve and upon turning said stopper into another position to be outoiregister Wti-h said inlet and outlet ports and close the valve, andsaid stopper also having a pocket in its periphery which is adapted toreceive said weight and in one position of the stopper to retain theweight within the casing and in another position to discharge the weightinto said neck and permit the same to fall and break said tip forreleasing the gas in said container.

5. A device for evacuating gas from a container having a neck and 'ahermetically sealed tip in the neck which is adapted to be broken,comprising a weight adapted to drop on said tip and break the same, atubular casing which is open at its front end and closed at its rear endand provided with a rearwardly tapering conical seat and inlet andoutlet ports on opposite sides of its seat which are adapted to beconnected respectively with said neck and with a discharge pipe, and arearwardly tapering stopper rotatable in engagement with the seat ofsaid casing and having its rear end separated from the rear end of thevalve casing by a connecting chamber while its front end projects fromthe open front end of the casing and .is provided with a handle, andsaid stopper, also having longitudinal passages on its opposite sideswhich open at their rear ends into said connecting chamber while thefront ends of said passages in one position of the stopper registerrespectively with said inlet and outlet ports and .open the valve and inanother position of the stopper are not in register with said ports andclose the valve, and said stopper being also provided on its peripherybetweensaid passages with a pocket which receives said Weight and in oneposition of the stopper retains the weight within the casing and inanother posit-ion of the stopper permits the weight to drop from saidpocket into said neck and break said tip for opening the latter andpermitting the gas to flow from said container to said discharge pipe.

JOHN B. BRANDT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Mapes Aug. 25, 1936Number

